Sunday, 9 June 2013

The Pursuit Of Happy Lips

My lips are definitely my problem area! Dry lips are a real drag, especially if you love wearing lipstick, and can sometimes lead to more painful problems, such as chapping and even cold sores. I've noticed in the last year, specifically since I moved out, my lips have gotten worse. I suspect that the flat I've been living in since September which is very hot and drying may have something to do with it! Anyway as with all problems, the more I worry about my dry lips, the more I find myself licking them or peeling off dry skin, both of which makes the problem worse! So I've been experimenting with different products in a bid to improve my pout, and here is a run down of my top lip products:

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - £5.25

This bubblegum flavoured lip scrub by Lush smells so delicious you just want to eat it, and the best part is, you can! As it explains on the pot, once you've finished exfoliating your lips to perfection, you simply lick off all the excess sugar! I can't possibly describe how yummy this both smells and tastes, and it is so lovely to use. Having dry lips, I tend to pick at peeling skin which sometimes bleeds and my boyfriend is forever telling me off about! But with this scrub, it gets rid of dry skin gently and is great before applying a lip balm, for smooth and supple lips. I am a massive fan of this product and think it has definitely improved my lip's condition, as every time I have peeling skin I just use this yummy scrub instead of picking at them. I also love the packaging, which is like all Lush products; simple but quirky!

Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter

Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Lip Butter - £4.00

I love The Body Shop's wide range of Body Butters, which all smell amazing and are extremely moisturising, so when looking for something ultra nourishing for my lips, I immediately turned to their range of Lip Butters. I usually go for their Mango Body Butter, but I wanted to try something different, and when testing the range in the shop the Pink Grapefruit totally won me over. It smells divine! The butter feels nice and moisturising on my lips and definitely leaves them feeling soft, and unlike some greasier lip balms, it sits well under lipstick. The packaging is very pretty, in a lovely shade of pink, although I probably prefer the old packaging for the Lip and Body Butters, which had writing around the sides, but maybe it's just a nostalgia thing. I would say these lovely Lip Butters are great for a quick moisture fix, and smell delicious, but are not as nourishing as their Body Butters, and sometimes I need something a bit stronger when my lips are particularly dry!

Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips

Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips - £1.99

This is my absolute favourite lip balm and is my wonder product! And is such a steal at £1.99, the cheapest of all my lip goodies. Not only is it super soothing and hydrating, with simple ingredients, but it is also tinted so my lips are all lovely and pink. Having dry lips means wearing lipstick is a bit tricky, and doesn't always sit well over a lip balm. Fortunately, with this tinted lip balm I can have some beautiful colour on my lips as well as some much needed hydration! The packaging is simple, a lovely pink shade, and the tin is great for on the go. Rose is probably my favourite scent (my perfume is Rose by Paul Smith) and the lovely subtle smell of roses that Rosy Lips possesses is delicate and not too overpowering! This lip balm is something every girl needs, and I use this everyday, I cannot recommend this product enough!

Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care SPF 15

Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care SPF 15 - £4

I'm not a massive fan of lip balm sticks as I don't really like the waxy consistency, and I guess this one from The Body Shop is no different in the fact that it's quite hard and thick. However I read good reviews of this product, and although £4 is quite expensive for a little stick in my opinion, I decided to give it a go. I must admit this lip balm is great to put on at night, to avoid waking up with dry lips! It's consistency has an advantage over other more greasy products, as it's more practical for wearing under make-up, and stays put for a long time. When I use this I feel as if I'm doing something good for my lips in the long run; the vitamin E is good for the skin! Having an SPF of 15 is a bonus too, especially now it's summer and the sunshine dries out lips as much as the cold weather! It has no particular scent to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and some people may prefer a lip balm without any perfume, but personally I like nice smelling products. The packaging is pretty and pink, and it's easy to carry around in your pocket or your bag. This is a good moisturising lip balm, although I'm not quite sure what all the hype is about, but perhaps this is one of those products you need to use for a long period of time to see the real results.

Burt's Bees Rejuvenating Acai Berry Lip Balm

Burt's Bees Rejuvenating Acai Berry Lip Balm - £3.69

I already had the Burt's Bees original beeswax balm, so when I needed a new one I decided to pick up this Rejuvenation Acai Berry version, as I thought it looked more suitable for very dry lips. I would say that the Acai scent is certainly not my favourite smell, and I found it quite unpleasant after a while. The actual consistency of this lip balm is not as smooth as the Body Shop chap stick and it doesn't feel as hydrating. Although it does have nice natural ingredients, and like all Burt's Bees products I really like the packaging! I just don't like the smell of this lip balm which is a bit of a shame, as I always used the original beeswax lip balm.

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm - £2.69

Cherry Carmex will always be a favourite of mine! It's super hydrating and great even when your lips are chapped, and smells of lovely cherries. As you can see from the photo, mine is an old pot, and they seem to last me ages too which is a plus. The only complaint I have about cherry Carmex is it's greasy consistency which is fantastic for keeping my lips smooth, but terrible under make up as lipstick tends to just slip straight off. I'd absolutely love it if Carmex could make a cherry flavoured lip balm that was tinted too, which would solve all my problems! I love how this feels all tingly on my lips when I put it on, and it really makes them feel very hydrated. This is definitely a must-have for those of you with dry lips, especially if you like cherries!

just found your blog on the Company forum and given you a follow. i'm a hoarder of lip products and am after a scrub at the moment, so i might have to give Lush a go! Sophie x | sophielouisew_ fashion.beauty.lifestyle